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Leptospira interrogans
Leptospira interrogans ' INTRO:' Leptospirosis is a disease triggered by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is considered the most commonly transmitted disease in the world. The threat of Leptospirosis has increased as a result of global warming, re-emerging among most biological life forms. Leptospirosis is distributed worldwide but is most common in the tropics, and nearly non-existant in polar regions. The strain interrogans is the oldest form of Leptospira known. Physical Properties Generally, the leptospires are thin noodle looking organisms that are slightly coiled, near weightless and are usually around 6-20 µm in length. They are capable of constant motion, with hooked ends and a pair of axial flagella on each end, allowing them to dig into tissue. Motion is visible by the continual rotation of the long axis. They are unique among spirochetes, as they can be seperated by artificial means. Effects on other living Organisms Although how they truly affect other living organisms is not yet fully understood, it is a common belief that they enter through porous cavities in healthy membranes, through the placenta during childbirth, via waterlogged regions or through nasal cavities. These virulent organisms, upon entering the bloodstream, spread at an alarming rate throughout the body, resulting in leptospiremia. The incubation of these organisms usually take from 5-14 days, but unusual cases have been recorded as being from with 72 hours to a month or more. If the host survives the initial infection, the multiplication will not cease until the development of neutralizing ummunoglobins begin to be produced. However, even after a cleansing, this leptospires remain in the untouchable regions, such as the renal tubules, brain, and the interior chamber of the eye, for weeks to months. The residency for humans is usually around 60 days. During the acute infection, leptospires replicate en masse with the small blood vessel endothelium, causing damage and vasculitis. The major effects of the disease are all secondary, and these can affect just about any organ. Range and Frequency Leptospirosis can be found worldwide. It has no particular epidemic area, although it was formerly reportedly concentrated in the United States. People living in tropical regions are particularily at risk, given their infection percentage is at 80%. Around 100-200 cases have been identified in the Americas, most frequently tropical regions such as Hawaii, making up about 50% of the former count. Other Facts There is risk of Leptospirosis wherever fornication exists. Typically, dogs, cattle, pigs and rodents are considered the prominent carriers of this organism; however, mass travel and exotic pet trade has raised the suspect count. Leptospires may live in the renal tubes of animals indefinitely until excreted into any other subsance, typically through urine. During 2005, the import of some southern flying squirrels passed on this disease to two animal handlers and brought into the Americas. Endemic canine leptospirosis became more common, and California underwent another epidemic of this disease in 2000 onwards. This organism was originally named the Weil diease, however in the 1900's, spiral hook ended organims were found in the kidney of a victim, this it was then named Spirochaeta interrogans. Video: thumb|left|300px|Leptospirosis interrogans in living organisms ﻿ ﻿ ﻿ Citations: Leptospira interrogans - EBI. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from [http://www.ofcats.com/2008/05/siberian-tiger.html www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/.../'Leptospira'_'interrogans'.html] Leptospirosis: eMedicine Infectious Diseases. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/220563-overview ﻿